Winter seems to be doing that Guest Fish thing – and it even brought its mother in law!  So..if you can’t beat it (no matter how much you want to.  With a stick.  Covered in barbed wire..and a couple of nails for good measure….)

….thenlet’s talk about The Best of Winter 2010.  We have alllll the time in the world…Winter will be on the fold-out sofa for a few eons more…

Anita/Musette sez:

1Feb2011 – 30mph gusts. I can’t see the house across the street for the blowing snow. The Weather Channel is nearly incoherent with glee at the coming Snowpocalypse – their ratings must be through the roof!!!     Anybody who thinks I’m not going to list Cartier Les Heures Fougueuse as mine own is out of their mind.  It may have debuted in the chill of the last quarter but it’s all about heat, since the lifestyle this conjures means you can hop in the G6 and be in Belize for afternoon tea.  If you are wearing this and you are in snow, you are in Gstaad.  Because you wanna be.

The other one is Bruno Acampora Blu. There’s not a marine note in there but…It smells like this looks.  Trust me.

Tom weighs in from sunny LA:

I know it seems whiny that I’m typing that I need a breath of spring when I’m spending another winter in Los Angeles, the one place in the US that isn’t under ten feet of snow.  But after 20-odd years in the beautiful Hills of Beverly, 40 seems darned cold.  What’s the answer?  Sometimes it’s Andy Tauer’s Carillon pur un ange, the lovely lily with the shockingly sensual Tauerade drydown.  Sometimes it’s L’Artisan Coeur de Vetiver Sacre with it’s balance of cool vetiver and warm black tea.  One of the main ones I’ve been reaching for however is Etat Libre’s Like This.  Designed for (and by) Tilda Swinton, The mandarin, rose and neroli are uplifting and the ginger, immortelle and pumpkin are immensely comforting.  It’s like fuzzy slippers and a warm hearth in a spray bottle.

Nava, reporting from Toronto, in Canada, where all the snow is supposed to fall: Once again, my peeps in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions are getting hammered. And by the way, Musette, that was quite a party you guys had in Chicago the other day.

For me, it’s been slim pickins’ this winter, but I’ve more than gotten by: Serge’s Bois et Fruits has kept me warm. So has Barbara Bui Le Parfum and my old standby, Donna Karan Chaos. Thanks, cousin Simon.

Patty, frozen stiff in Denver, is thumbing her nose at Musette darling and putting Fougueuse on her list, along with Kilian Pure Oud,  Baccarat Les Larmes Sacree du Thebes,  Caron Parfum Sacre in all of its lovely iterations and Fendi Theorema, which warms the cockles of my black little heart.

So…those are our picks - we’re throwing it open to you now. Let us know what warmed (or is still warming, since it’s still winter) the cockles of YOUR heart!

For more top ten lists, please see Bois de Jasmin, Grain de Musc, Now Smell This, and Perfume-Smellin’ Things.

That gorgeous winter photo is US 61, Minnesota, 2010., courtesy of our own Catherine.  www.catherinemicheleadams.com

That gorgeous NOT WINTER photo is Costa Careyes.

I took one perfume with me on my trip. It’s one I’ve been yapping about off and on for months, and that I keep putting on. Most of you can probably guess it, but I’ll give the person who guesses first what it is a sample of something else I’ll talk about – the Ann Gerard (see below).

This Monogamy-ish perfume just has something in it that makes me a little weak in the knees and has from the moment I sniffed it first in Paris – one year ago! And it is the one perfume that when I wear it, whenever someone gets close to me – which doesn’t happen as often as it should – what they say is – “God, you smell good.” Same weak in the knees, quiverish voice. Guess away!!! It has gotten so bad that I broken down and bought a 50 ml bought just for myself instead of raiding the TPC stock, which was beginning to embarrass me a lot. I mean, yeah, it’s just a spritz or two, but I just couldn’t keep doing it.

Paris was last week. I didn’t find anything new in the stores, but Denyse of Grain de Musc (sorry, I’m on my iPad and can’t figure out how to get a link going? Oh, wait, there it is, not exactly easy without a mouse now, is it?) invited me over, and we sniffed all sorts of new things. The one that’s gotten me all atwitter has been basically done for a while, but packaging for shipping is a problem. Bertrand Duchafour did it for Ann Gerard, who is a jeweler in Paris. It is called Pleine Lune, and it is a stunning iris. We smelled it after sniffing Denyse’s rare and dwindling stock of Iris Gris. They are not the same, this doesn’t have the peach notes in it and some other things, but the iris piece of it has a similar buttery quality that just melts into this soft velvety iris. No woods, no fruits, no earth, just orris butter. Well, other notes, too, but that’s the star of this, and it’s beautifully put together and fills a hole in the iris world.

I have no idea what the price point is on this or when it will land in the U.S., I believe as soon as the packaging for shipping is ironed out – hopefully soon?!?!? But it will get added to my all-star wall of iris scents, which include the long-lost and much-grieved Fath Iris Gris, Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist, Parfum DelRae Mythique, Dior Homme, Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d’Iris, TDC Bois d’Iris, and a couple more.

Other discover in Paris, which someone here had mentioned in comments that they were obsessed with (Jarvis???) Saint de Saints rubber incense. OHF, what a great idea with the perfect scent, and you get like four sheets in the package, and it’s subtle, and someone at Malle is a genius. It’s not going to scent a whole room like the cute little red mechanique thing (we had a long discussion about the Gardenia room scent and how I’m dying to get it in a body lotion, hairspray, foot deodorizer, detergent, deodorant, shower gel and bosom heaving tuck-in pad), but sit it next to you on your desk or nightstand, and you will be happily Saint de Sainted. I’m not sure if it just works with this type of scent, but if they could infused that little red rubber incense pad with something else – say that gorgeous gardenia – I would buy a gross of them on credit and let God and Amex sort it out later.

My trip! For those of that were playing the home game of 30 days of meditation, I’ve had a break from it the last week – sleep problems, disrupted schedule, on the run. Oddly enough, as much as it is one of those justsitdownandoitandquitarguing things, I’ve missed it the last seven days. So I’m going to do a restart, and I’m trying to decide when – now or when I get home. I think I’ll try now, but do a restart if my plan gets quaffed in travel later this week. It gives me a time every day – at the end of the day – to just sit, and I’ve started to look forward to it. I don’t process anything, I try not to process even a thought, but to just be and let the world and all the detritus of the day swirl around in my head with no need or care to do anything with any of it. It’s letting go that requires nothing more than to not pay attention to any of those random things jump-started into existence by some firing neuron in your brain. It gives me the space to choose to let those dust motes float without energy beyond what sparked them. For someone as high-octane in the random thought department as I am, it’s a wonderful gift once a day.

I’m getting very attached to it. It’s still hard and requires discipline, and my discipline kinda goes out the window after the second glass of wine/prosecco/champagne/truffle/gelato, hence the break while I’ve been traveling.

So Paris was great – I hit my circuit of Serge, Louvre, Colette, Montale, Musee d’Orsay, Marriage Freres, Frederic Malle, Bon Marche (hat shopping!!!!!). I added Pierre Herme to it this time since the reviews on their macarons were over the top. One thing I’ve learned, 1-2 macarons are plenty.

Now I am in Firenze, Italy. I’ve blown through here before, but didn’t stop, and I can’t believe I’d have done anything like that if I’d known how great this city is. Tomorrow is the Accademia to see David and a lot of other Florentine art by Michealangelo, et al, and then Wednesday is the Uffizzi, which is one of the premiere art galleries in the world. Thurs is ??? Not sure. Santa Maria Novella for sure, then probably San Marco, and then I’ll see if I can also get across the river. Today was ravioli with black truffles, panna cotta with chocolate sauce drizzled on it, then a stop at Grom for some amazing gelato – pistachio and extra noir chocolate. It’s cold out, but I carried that little cup with me for an hour, savoring every delicious bite on my chattering teeth.

The next three days will also include gelato, just not sure from where. Should I sample around? Are there other places I should hit? perche no? gets a nod from a lot of the guidebooks. If anyone who has been here has a gelato place or a restaurant I need to visit, let me know! I did find a cute pair of boots, but they had just the one pair in the window, not in my size. WTF? We looked through the store for anything similar – again, one pair that was on the floor, that’s it. I guess my kg luggage problem isn’t going to get any worse at this rate.

Okay, so reminder, guess the perfume that I’m being as faithful to as it gets for me, and the first person to guess it will get a small sample of this Ann Gerard iris perfume that’s so gorgeous! But chime in with any Florence places/hints/tips/whatever too! I’ve got three more lovely days in this place, and I don’t want to miss anything!

Patty

Happy new year, everyone!  Thanks for making the Perfume Posse so much fun in 2010.  I’m out of town and we’re taking the weekend off.  I’ll see you Monday in 2011!

image: wikimedia commons

March

by the Shivering Musette

Is it true?  Is 2010 almost over?  I don’t even remember it starting!   But I do remember my favorite new fragrances from the past 12 months or so, that counts for something, right?  Alas, most of them were vintage finds, which misses the point of this kind of post…..but! there were a few  new-release gems . Here’s what ‘we’ think – I can’t wait to read what you guys think was ‘best’ in 2010~

Bas des Soie (Serge Lutens).  Everybody take a minute to catch your breath at this one.  Yes, it’s iris.  Yes, I can smell it.  Yes, I love it!  Well, I don’t LOVE it, but I liked it a whole heckuva lot – it’s the first Serge I’ve ever taken a second/third/possibly FB look at!   I love the initial blast of cool, ladylike iris and the hyacinth followup, though warmer than I expected, was intriguing.  I kept sniffing my wrist and wondering what that great scent was  (don’t ask – my short-term memory is gawwwwn).  I like it!  I really like it!

Frederic Malle 1er Mai candle. While not technically a perfume, it could – and should – be (and you know that came up at the Candle Thingie, right?)!  If I could scoop this out of the Red Glass Jar and apply it to my wrist, I think I just might, though I’d be thrilled to just have it sitting on a table in my clean, newly-renovated house (that should give you some idea of the fantasy of this whole concept).  An absolutely beautiful scent, redolent of May flowers, with no waxy buildup!  And here I thought I hated candles!

Dior Diorama.  I’m not exactly sure if this qualifies as a 2010 release since it’s 61 years old.  But the current iteration was released in the States in 2010 so I’m running with it, okay?  March thinks the new iteration dries down like current Diorella and she’s not wrong – ish.  I get   a minty note in both drydowns but Diorama seems a bit embarrassed by it, rather than embracing it, as has Diorella.  So why am I so keen on it?  Well, I’ll tell ya :  this entrance into the US market makes my heart go pitty pat in hopes they might send Diorling over soon!  Hope springs eternal…

Tom steps in with this elegant review (and I should beat him because I do NOT need to be lemming any more perfume):

My best of 2010 is the one I’ve found myself reaching for most frequently since the bottle was acquired: Mocktail by smell bent.  The sparkling citrus and almost aldehyde-like woods make for a perfect answer to drab winter days, spreadsheets and 4:30 sunsets, while the price point makes spritzing with abandon a guilt-free pleasure.  I couldn’t be happier if I found zero-calorie champagne!

March: 2010 marked the year when I gave up trying to keep up with new releases – even from the niche houses.  If you’d like to torment yourself, go browse the list at Now Smell This, or the new releases from the last six months from The Perfumed Court.  I throw up my hands in defeat.

So this is (what else?) my highly subjective best-of list for 2010, what I enjoyed the most or thought most interesting from the scents I got around to smelling.

Serge Lutens Boxeuses, in which Monsieur Lutens quits goofing around (has anything been more disappointing than his L’Eau?) and gets back to what he does best – those Hammam/Souk Delirium scents which I, and apparently many of you, never tire of.  I’d wear this in a heartbeat, and would love a bottle.  This also marked the year that I developed a new appreciation for some of his older scents, including Chene and the cumin-y El Attarine.  I will not be surprised if Arabie is next, god help me.

L’Artisan Nuit de Tubereuse and Traversee du Bosphore – in which I am forced to eat my whiny-baby words about how Bertrand Duchaufour can’t make a scent that doesn’t smell like old vase-water, at least on me.  Love it or hate it (and I loved it) NdT was a fascinating new take on tuberose, spicy and dark and strange.  Traversee du Bosphore sounded even less promising (Turkish Delight?  Rose and pistachio?  no, thanks) and yet is lovely, not too sweet, with a nice tobacco note.  Some of you have complained it’s too light.  I find it, a la the Three Bears, just right.

Finally, I find myself reaching (on crappy winter days) for my Tauer Eau d’Epices.  I should note here that, no, it’s not particularly spicy on me.  It’s less the list of its notes, which sounds all spicy – cardamom and clove and what have you – and more what I’d think of as Tauer-ade – if you took just the drydown of Andy’s fragrances, that rich, warm ambergris base, this would be it.  It’s the sort of scent I spray on at the end of a tiresome day, and delight 0n finding traces of on my sweater.

Patty: Ive been pretty simple this year, and I’m giving my best of to what I keep wearing more days than not – L’Artisan Nuit de Tuberose (March already picked this one).  There’s something spice, rich, deep and lovely about it that makes it easy to wear, but stays interesting from start to finish – not so interesting that I’m trying to figure out if I can leave the house in it, though.  It’s also the one people compliment me on.

Do I need a second one?  Well, yeah, and I do this with trepidation since I”m not quite certain that it rises to this because I’ve only been smelling it for a couple of days – Dior New Look 1947. More on this on Thursday, but it is also a tuberose entry, one that captures a time, a look, a place, but keeps it modern so you can avoid all of those ignorant “old lady perfume” comments.  I think that one is going to see me into 2011 for a couple of months and is now putting some pressure on Nuit de Tuberose for what gets worn more.

Nava: I didn’t get the opportunity to sample much this past year, but one standout for me was Thierry Mugler Womanity. I know; the house that brought us that devil, Angel. But I’m helpless when it comes to salt and fig. The other was Balenciaga Paris: violet, musk, labdanum, and just a hint of chypre that doesn’t send me screaming in the opposite direction. I wore it constantly in the spring, but it turned a bit suffocating on me in the hot weather. Honourable mention goes to L’Artisan Havana Vanille. I blame the shivering Musette for this one. I have been coveting a bottle of this for months.

We’ll leave this post up on Wednesday; please join us on Thursday while Patty reviews one of the new Diors.  For other best-of posts, please see Bois de Jasmin, Grain de Musc, Now Smell This, and Perfume-Smellin’ Things.

Photo:  Best of Halter Class Stallion – 2010 World Percheron Congress/ “Moose” of Windermere Farms. My new stallion – just as soon as I can figure out how to pay for him/buy the farm/build the state-of-the-art barn to house him/feed him…

I smell so good right now, it’s ridiculous. I’ve got about four or five (so far) of the new Dior La Collection Couturier scents on, and I haven’t found one yet that I hate.

This is the perfect way to wrap up 2010, wading through a bunch of new Dior scents that not only do not suck, but smell great and fell almost… dare i say it? Diorish. No, not clear back to the Diorling, Dioressence days, which not just a few people hate (I know! but it is true), but the feel is classic, defined, with a clear idea of what it is. There’s a lot of nods to modernity, but no kowtowing

I don’t want to blast out some hasty reviews, so I’m going to just roll around in these for a few days, take them to Kansas with me for the holidays, and try and write more coherent reviews that say more that “WOWIREALLYLIKETHEM!!! and “We girls are gonna love the so-called masculines as much as the boys do.”

My disclaimer is I have all of these scents in hand because I got them for TPC, and that’s my source. But instead of making you wait for thoughtful reviews, and because it is so close to Christmas, on behalf of TPC, we’re going to give away four sample sets of all seven of the new scents to four lucky commenters. So comment away on anything you like, what you’re wearing today, which one of these you want to smell the most, or none of them? Do you think this is another overreach of releasing too many at one time? Big-honking bottles, yes, and it is annoying, but they are cheap per ml.

Patty